Elevator-door lock



Sept. 7 1926. 1,598,678

l J.` DUNLOP ELEvAToR Doon Loan Filed August 16) 1924 2.SheetS-She0t 1Imm/nio?? sqm 7 ,1926.

1,598,678 J. DuNLoP ELEVATOR DOOR LOCK Filed August 16. 1924 2Shee'ts-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 7, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES DUNLOP, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO KAESTNER &; HBCI-ITCOMPANY,

F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ELEVATOR-DOOR LOCK.

Application filed August 16, 1924. Serial No. 732,398.

My invention relates to improvements in elevator door locks, and morespecically to door loclrs controlled by cam means on the elevator cage.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a door lock with amechanical means for actuating the locking member to release the doorcatch, said means being operable when the cage is at the landing butbeing incapable of actually moving the locking member unless an attemptto open the door is made.

Another object isto provide a novel elevator door lock comprising alatch operating means which is adapted to be automatically actuated by acam on the elevator cage to store up energy for raising the latch, butthe action of which is suspended when the door is completely closed.

more detailed object is to provide a Hexible latch operating meanshaving a spring which is adapted to be deflected by one member, and withthe energy thus obtained to actuate another member.

Ancillary objects and advantages will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of a door lockconstructed in accordance with my invention, one of the cover platesbeing removed to show the interior.

Fig. 2 is a view showing a slightly different assembly of parts.

Fig. 3 is a section-al view taken along line 3 3 of Fig. l.

F ig. 4 is a lett side view of a lock shown in Fig. 2 with the doorcatch withdrawn.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic representation of a simple electrical elevatorillustrating the use or' the lock.

IVhile my y invention is susceptible of various modifications andalternative constructions, I have shown in the drawings and will hereindescribe in detail the preferred embodiment, but it Vis to be understoodthat I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specieconstruction disclosed but aim in the appended claims to cover all formsfalling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Referring to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in the drawings,designates a suitable casing for the door lock which preferably consistsoit a hollow rectangular trame-11. rIlle opposite sides of the frame 11are connected by two parallel spaced webs 12, and the front and rearfaces are closed by removable cover plates 13. One side of the trame 11is formed with an opening 14 adapted to receive the catch 15 on the door16.

lhile any suitable means can be employed to secure the casing 10 to thehatchway 17, I prefer to use bolts 18 which extend through bores 19 inthe corners of the trame 11. The cover plates 13 are similar' but rightand left hand in construction, and the bores 19 are beveled at both endsto permit reversal of the casing 10 for doors 16 opening to the rightand lett.

Removably mounted on a pin 20 and between two spaced lugs 21 extendinginwardly from one side oli the frame 11 is a pivotal locking member orlatch 22 having a 'hook 23 at its i'reeend adapted to engage and retainthe catch 15 when the door 16 is closed. A pair of plugs 24 areremovably threaded into tapped bores 25 in the lugs 21, and support theopposite ends of the pin 20. To permit removal of the plugs, the coverplates 13 are cut away at 26.

The rear end ot the latch 22 is formed integral with an arm 27 extendingdownwardly from the pivot into a position to be engaged by the forwardend of the catch 15 when the door 16 is closed. Upon being thusengaged., the arm 27 will move the hook 23'into locking engagement withthe catch 15, and hold the same against upward movement until the catchl5 is slightly withdrawn Las shown in Fig. 1. Downward movement of thelatch 22 is arrested by a pair of lateral extensions 28 projectingtoward each other from the cover plates 13. The latch 22 can be manuallyraised to release the catch 15 by means of a pin 29 removably secured toeither side of the latch and projecting through a suitable aperture 30in either one or the cover Vplates 13, depending on which one isexposed.

Means is provided for raising the latch 21. In the present instance,this means is mechanically controlled, but a lock of similarconstruction automaticallyV having an electrically controlled latchoperating means is fully disclosed and covered in my copendingapplication, Serial No. 732,399 filed August 16, 1924. Referring toFigs. 1 and 2, a ball or cam roller 31 is rotatably mounted on thepivoted end of the latch 22, and is positioned between the 'forked arms`of a cam member 32 adjustably mounted on a spindle 33. One end of thespindle 33 is journaled in one side ot the trame 11, and the other endextends out or' the casing 1() through an elongated sleeve or support 34threaded into the other side of the frame 11. Loosely mounted on Vtheouter end ot the spindle 33 is a lever 35, the pivotal end of which isforked and the tree end of which carries a cam roller 36 adapted to beengaged by a cam 37 on the cage 38 when the latter is at one of thelandings 39. Rigidly but adjustably mounted on the spindle 33 betweenthe forks on the lever is a dog 40. A suitable leaf spring 41 secured tothe lever 35 extends into overlapping engagement with the 'free end oi'the dog 40, and tends to oscillate the latter when the roller 36 isengaged by the cam 37. It will be seen that the dog 40`will raise'thelatch 22 upon being oscillated in either direction from a centralposition, and that the casing 10 can be reversed without atfecting theoperation of' the lock if the roller lever 35 is likewise reversed orrotatably adjusted with the dogl 40 through 180o. Upward movement ofthe` latch 22 is opposed by the mass of the door 16 acting through thearm 27. prevent unlatching of the door 16 until an attempt to open thelatter is made, the spring 41 is designed with sutficient strength whenflexed to raise the latch 22 against its own `weight but not to move thecatch 15 outwardly. p

The latch operating means Vis susceptible of being assembled with thelock in a number ot' ways to adaptthe latter to dii. Aferent. elevatorinstallations. Thus the lever 35 and dog 40 can be rotatably adjusted onthe spindle 33 to properly locate the roller 36 for different positionsot the cam 37 on the cage 38. The spindle 33 can also be associated withthe latch 22 in any other suitable way than that shown in Fig. 1.` Forexample, in the form sho-wn in Fig.

2, yone of the plugs 24 is replaced by the sleeve 34, and the spindle 33is substituted for the pin 20 to support the latch 22. n

Means is provided for preventing movement of the cage' 38 away from thelanding when the door 16 is open or unlatched.

This means comprises a pair of rocker arms 42 and 43 made of insulatingmaterial and mounted vbetween the webs 12' on pivot pins 44. The upperend of the rocker'arm 42 is formed with a cam portion 45 adapted to beengaged and depressed by the door catch 15 as the latter enters thecasing 10. The upper end of the arm 43 is provided with a projection 46fitting loosely into a notch 47 in the lower end ot the arm 27. A pairot contact strips 48 are mounted on adjacent sides o't the rocker arms.,and are electrically connected by a coil spring 49. lemovably mounted ina pair o1 notches 50 formed in opposite sides of the frame 11 is aninsulating board 51 which supports a pair of spring contacts 52positioned to be engaged by the contact strips 48. Undue iiexing 0I thespring contacts 52 beyond their elastic limit, as by a manual depressionor' the cam portionl 45 or latch 22, Vis prevented by a pair ot'upstanding lugs 53 formed integral with theplate 51. l

The contactstrips 48 and the spring contacts 52 constitute a .pair ofswitches 54 and 55' which Aare connected in series and are adapted toform part of one of the elevator' circuits controlling the movement ofthe cage 38. It will be seen that upon closing and Vlatching the doorboth switches will. be closed, and that upon subsequently disengagingthecam roller 36 the door 16 will be locked. Vhen the door is open and thelatchy 22 is raised, both switches willbe open; when the door is closedand the latch is raised, switch 55 will be open, and when the door isopen andthe latch is down, as for example, it the spring 41 becamedefective, switch 54 will be open to prevent in each instance` a closurey or' the circuit through the switches. 1 l

Referring to Fig. 5, I have shown the lock as forming part of a simpleyelevator system, but it is to be understood that `it can be connectedin many other systems in any other suitable manner. In thev presentelevator system, theV driving motor for the cage 38 is represented by56, and the up and down directional switches torV controlling theoperation of the motor by 57 and 58 respectively. These switches areadapted yto be actuated by means of a car switch 59 having a suitablecontrol lever 60.

To actuatethe switch 57, thejlever 6,0 is moved tothe left therebyclosing the jfollowing circuitztrom the plus main 61, through wire 62,lever Y60, segmental contact 63, wire 64, coil 65, and wire' 66including the switches54. and 55 tothe minus main 67 of theline. Thedoors 16 must be closed so that the switches 54 and 55 are closed.

Closure of the switch,y 57, kcloses a circuit ythrough the motorarmature as follows:

from the wire62, through the lever` 60, variable-resistance 68, wire 69,switch contacts 70, wire-71, motor armature, wire 72,

switch contacts73and wire 74 to the minus main- 67. The field 75 ofthemotor vis connected directly across the main lines by wires 62and 74. The speedoflthe motor lever 60, segmental contact 76, wire 77, coil78, and wire 66 including the switches 54 and 55 to the minus main.Operation of the switch 58 closes a circuit through the motor armaturereverse to the foregoing.

circuit closed by the switch 57, and as follows: from the wire 62,through the lever 60, resistance 68, wire 69, switch contacts 79, wire 72, motor armature, wire'71, switch contacts 80, and wire 74 to the minusmain.

'Ihe switches 54 and 55 of each door lock in the hatchway 17 areconnected in series in the wire 66, and hence control the operation ofthe directional switches. If the cage 38 is at the landing, the cam 37will engage the roller 36 to flex the spring 41 and the door 16 will beunlocked. Since the energy in the spring 41 is insufficient to overcomethe mass of the door 16, movement of the dog 40 will be suspended untilthe arm 27 is released by the withdrawal of the door catch 15 againstthe hook 23. Further movement of the cage 38 is prevented until the door16 is closed and latehed.

It will be seen that I have provided a door lock simple in constructionand operation, capable of being assembled and mounted in different waysfor different elevators, and eliicient and safe in use. While I haveshown the easing 10 as secured to the hatchway 17, and the catch 15 tothe door 16, it is contemplated that these parts can readily be reversedwithout affecting the operation of the lock.

I claim as my invention:

1. An elevator door lock having, in combination, a casing, a door catch,a latch in the form of a bell crank one arm of which is provided with ahook to engage said catch and the other arm of which is positioned to beengaged by said catch, the space between said hook and said lastmentioned arm being sufficient to allow a. limited movement of saidcatch without raising said latch, and mechanically controlled means forautomatically raising said latch, said means being ineffectual when saidcatch engages said last mentioned arm.

2. An elevator door lock having, in combination, a casing, a door catch,a latch in said casing, and mechanical means positioned for engagementby the cage for automatically raising said latch when the cage is at thelanding but being ineffectual until an attempt to open the door is made.

3. An elevator door lock having, in combination, a casing, a door catch,a latch in said casing mounted to engage said catch and to be heldthereby in engagement therewith when the door is completely closed, andspring means rendered operable when the cage is at the landing toautomatically raise said latch, said means being inell'lectual amil saidcatch is partially withdrawn.

4. An elevator door lock having, in combination, a casing, a door catch,a latch pivotally mounted in said casing and having a depending armadapted to be engaged by said catch, a spindle mounted in said casing,cam means on said spindle operatively associated with said latch toraise the latter, a lever loosely mounted on said spindle and having acam roller, a dog rigidly. secured te said spindle, spring means carriedby said lever vand extending into overlapping engagement with said dogto resiliently actuate the .latter, and cam means mounted on the cage ina posit-ion to engage said roller as said cage moves to the landing,said spring means being incapable upon oscillation of said lever ofoscillating said dog to raise said latch until said depending arm i'sdisengaged by said catch.

5. An elevator 'door lock having, in combination, a casing, a doorcatch, a locking member in said casing for engaging said catch andconstruct-ed to be held in locking position by the latter, andmechanically operated means rendered operable when the cage is at thelanding but being ino'lfectual to move said member except after orsimultaneously with an attempt to open the door.

6. A door lock having, in combination, a casing, a door catch, a latchin said casing, a cam roller on said latch, a spindle, cam means on saidspindle positioned to'engage said roller upon movement in eitherdirection, and cam actuated means for rotating said spindle.

7. An elevator door lock having, in combination, a door catch, a latchfor engaging said catch, a spindle operatively associated with saidlatch to raise the latter upon being rotated, spring means for rotatingsaid spindle, and cam means positioned on the cage to actuate saidspring means when the cage is atthe landing.

8. An elevator door lock having, in combination, a door catch, a latch`for engaging said catch, a spindle operatively associated with saidlatch to raise the latter upon being rotated, a lever having a forkedend loosely mounted on said spindle and being provided with a cam rollerat its other end, a dog rigidly secured to said spindle between theforks of said lever, a spring tending to move said dog and said leversimultaneously and means for engaging said roller when the cage is atthe landing to osJillate said lever. l

9. In an elevator door lock having a catch and a latch for engaging saidcatch, a latch operating means comprising, in combination, a spindleadapted to be associated with s-aid lateh to disengage the latter fromsaid cat-h upon being rotated, a member loosely mountd on said spindle,a second member 'rigidlyv secured to said spindle, and a spring tendingto oseillate said members simultaneously when said first memberis'oseillated in one direction. Y Y y l0. An elevator door lock having,in combination, a doorl catch, a looking member for engaging said catch,a spindle operatively associated with said loeking'member to dis engagethe latter', a member loosely mounted on said spindle, a second memberrigidly mounted on said spindle, spring means tend,-

15 ing to prevent independent oscillation Y of said'members,Y and 'meansacting to oseillate ysaid first ymentioned member when the page is atthe landing. f

v'11. Inanielevatordoor lock, in co1nbinatio'n, a support, a leverloosely mounted on said support, a second lever mounted onvsaid supportnext to saidv irst mentioned lever, and a lea` spring secured at one endto one of said levers and engaging the other of said leversiwith itsfree end. saidl leaf spring tending to prevent independent movement ofsaidvlevers 1n one dlreetion.

In testimon whereof I have hereunto af- Y a v fixed my signature.

JAMES DUNLOP. K

